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Business News Wales

Flexible Skills Programme Expands to Plug Skills Gap

Accredited training opportunities in Wales are set to see an almost six-fold increase in the amount of subsidy available. The Welsh Government increasing its investment in the Flexible Skills Programme from £1.3 million a year to more than £7.5 million. Support will be in place for employees to take advantage of thousands of individual places on upskilling or re-skilling training courses. The expansion follows increasing demand from Welsh employers for support to develop employees' skills in response to changing industries and new technologies. There will be a particular focus on supporting key sectors and needed skills such as Engineering and Manufacturing; Digital/Cyber; green skills; and leadership and management. Any employer can apply for the grant, which is designed to help businesses quickly respond to skills gaps with the Welsh Government paying 50% of business training costs (up to £50,000 per business per year). The expanded scheme was launched during Learning at Work week at IQ Endoscopes (IQE), a pioneering medical device startup that has seen first-hand what a difference the funding can make. IQE is about to place its first device onto the UK market – an affordable, sterile, and sustainable endoscope solution that will enable rapid early diagnosis to help reduce patient waiting times and help people live longer and healthier lives. The Flexible Skills Programme has enabled it to support over 170 individual technical or leadership and management training opportunities for its staff over the past two years. Gemma Banks, HR Manager at IQE said: 'Being a small company it can sometimes be hard to attract certain levels of experience and talent within the business, but we've been able to offer people additional training which has then meant we've covered a real skills gap and real need within the business at a pre-emptive time before it's become a problem.' Shaun O'Connell, an Engineering technician at IQE, recently completed CoSHH, ISH and Control of Hazardous Substances training through the programme. He said: 'The training has provided me with numerous opportunities to grow within my role and I'm now managing all the hazardous substances we use and ensuring the lab safety handbook is consistently up to date. It's made the lab much safer and a more effective place to work.' Skills Minister Jack Sargeant said: 'Having supported over 8,000 training interventions in the last two years, I am excited about the impact a greatly expanded Flexible Skills Programme could have in the future. 'The programme's success is down to our ambitious Welsh businesses investing in themselves to up skill their workforce. We are determined to do all we can to support their ambition and develop the skills needed for future success. 'As we prepare to host a major international investment summit in Wales later this year, the expanded scheme also strengthens our offer for companies looking to invest here.'